FINAL: Riverhounds SC 1, Westchester FC 0 (USL Jägermeister Cup Group Stage)

Photo courtesy Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

USL Jägermeister Cup Group Stage

FINAL: Riverhounds 1,Westchester SC 0

Live statistics: USL Championship Match Center

USL Jägermeister Cup Live Standings

Instant Recap

With both sides needing a win to stay alive in Jagermeister Cup play, it was the Riverhounds who emerged on top against Westchester SC, 1-0, at Highmark Stadium on Saturday night.

Despite the win, the Hounds can no longer advance in the Jägermeister Cup with their 1-2-0 record after Hartford Athletic drew with Detroit City FC tonight. Westchester, a USL League One team, is also eliminated at 0-3-0.

The first half began with a tentativeness from each side with both starting elevens featuring some rotation on the damp, slippery turf field. The Hounds largely bossed early possession, but Westchester remained compact defensively and countered where possible, but to little effect.

Ultimately, it was the Hounds who would find the initial breakthrough. In the 15th minute, some carefully crafted interplay between Robbie Mertz and Junior Etou freed up the latter down the left flank. His cross was fired centrally and to the feet of Bertin Jacquesson, who re-directed it in for his first goal of the year – handing the Hounds a 1-0 advantage.

He’d just miss his opportunity to double that advantage ten minutes later. This time it was Bradley Sample making a run into the box and ending up in possession of a clever ball over the top from Mertz. He’d pull the ball back towards the spot where Jacquesson was lurking, but his shot was directly at Dane Jacomen in goal who pulled off a stunning reflex save and left Jacquesson in dismay at his missed chance.

Aside from a few Hounds corners and free kicks with relatively little threat to show for them, the remainder of the half largely passed uneventfully. Westchester built a bit more possession and confidence as the Hounds sat back defensively, but were unable to find a breakthrough of their own as the halftime whistle blew.

The second half got underway with some contentious back and forth, ultimately resulting in a yellow card for Hounds defender Sean Suber. After a few dangerous crosses for the Hounds, including one flicked on but wide by Jacquesson, both sides started reaching for their benches.

Each side was given a scary moment later in the half, as Max Broughton and Juan Carlos Obregon suffered a head-to-head collision, but both were ultimately able to get up and return to the match.

The Hounds would narrowly miss a chance to extend the lead in the final five minutes, as Augi Williams was played through on goal by a brilliant pass, leaving him one-on-one with Jacomen in goal. The Westchester goalkeeper made a stunning save diving to his right, and then matched it with an equally stunning parry of a follow-up shot from Jackson Walti back to his left.

Ultimately, a late yellow card aside, both sides would play out the final moments of the match without another goal. The Riverhounds earn their first three points in their third Jagermeister Cup match and remain alive another day, while Westchester suffers another disappointing loss.

The Hounds return to action next Friday in league play against New Mexico United, hoping to carry momentum over from this win into that fourth of July contest.

Match Day Updates

Follow along below for the latest developments and commentary on the match, plus starting lineups, instant postgame report and more here…

FT – Riverhounds 1-0 Westchester. It wasn’t the prettiest game, but it was solid defensively for the Hounds, and the early Jacquesson goal was enough to see out their first win in Jagermeister Cup history.

90′ – A yellow issued to Westchester’s Mackic for a late run and foul on Randolph in goal.

86′ – WOW! Jacomen with a pair of phenomenal saves! Augi Williams had the first effort one-on-one which was barely parried away. The follow-up effort from Ahl was also extremely well-taken and again saved brilliantly by the Westchester keeper!

83′ – Subs now for both teams: Westchester brings on Vazquez to replace Guezen. Hounds bring on Bourgey and Biasi to replace Etou and Mertz.

81′ – Ouch, a clash of heads between Broughton and Obregon in the box as play is stopped to treat them. Obregon got the worse of it between the two, but he’s up and off the field for the moment.

75′ – A pair of corners for the Hounds as the first is put out cleanly by the Westchester defense. The follow-up is easily handled by Jacomen in goal, and then there’s a Westchester sub: Mackic for Bouman

71′ – A yellow card for Westchester SC now for Mink Peeters as he commits the tactical foul. 20 to play as the Hounds continue to lead, 1-0.

67′ – And now a trio of subs for the Hounds: On are Williams, Walti, Ahl. Off go Jacquesson, Garcia, Sample.

66′ – A pair of subs for Westchester as they chase this one. On come Jean-Baptiste and Peeters and off go Palma and Saydee.

60′ – A few dangerous crosses for the Hounds these past few minutes. A glancing header from Jacquesson the closest they’ve come to converting. On the other end, Randolph narrowly beat Obregon to a ball over the top and the two had a small collision – both okay ultimately.

48′ – A yellow card issued to Sean Suber for a hard foul, the first of the game for either side tonight.

46′ – The second half is back underway, Riverhounds lead 1-0. A sub for Westchester as the game resumes: On comes Noah Powder to replace Stephen Payne.

HT – Riverhounds 1-0 Westchester. A quiet final 15 minutes to that half. The Hounds lead after Jacquesson’s first goal of the season, assisted by Etou. Westchester built more into the match later in the half, but the Hounds defense remains stout.

40′ – Knowing anything about Bob Lilley, he’s going to be unhappy about this spell of 10-15 minutes as the Hounds sit back off possession and look nothing like a second goal anytime soon. Lilley constantly telling his players to push forward and press advantages.

35′ – Things have slowed down a bit after some hectic action. Westchester holding the ball a bit more and the Hounds content to press when possible and play solid defense in the meantime.

27′ – Hounds free kick from the right wing, Mertz to put it into the mixer. It falls to Beto Ydrach, who tries an ambitious half-volley which is blocked out for a throw.

25′ – Wow! What a save by Jacomen in goal! A great ball into the box finds Bradley Sample. He pulls it back centrally for Jacquesson, who is only put off his second goal of the night by a stunning reflex save by the Westchester keeper!

23′ – Another corner earned by the Hounds here as Mertz lines up to take it. It fumbles around in the box before being cleared for another corner from the opposite side. Mertz again, to the back post, but over everyone.

21′ – Foul on Junior Etou just on the edge of the box, but it’ll be a dangerous free kick from the left wing. Jorge Garcia takes and puts it into the wall.

19′ – Corner as Danny Griffin is dispossessed in the box after a feed from Jorge Garcia. Mertz to take. Taken too close to net and it’s handled by Dane Jacomen.

15′ – GOAL, RIVERHOUNDS! Junior Etou with a nice 1-2 down the left flank with Robbie Mertz, it comes back to him and he crosses it centrally and it’s turned in by Bertin Jacquesson! The Hounds lead 1-0!

12′ – A flash of speed from Jonathan Bolanos down the left wing earns a corner for Westchester, but nothing from it ultimately. A free kick moments later is driven out for another corner though. That’s taken short, crossed in, and headed well-over the net by Juan Palma.

10′ – Long ball over the top of the Hounds defense has Randolph hesitating for a moment, but he decides to charge out and gets to the ball first just barely. Tentative moment there.

7′ – Westchester with the first “shot” of the game, if you can call an effort that was closer to the sideline than the goal a shot. Randolph will be happy to see those go all night.

5′ – Ball mostly under Hounds control early, but Westchester with a compact defense is holding them off and away from the box.

1′ – Teams take to the field and line up. Westchester in full whites, Riverhounds in their traditional black and yellows. With the rain settled down to a drizzle at most, we are underway at Highmark Stadium!

0′ – Lots of pre-game rain, but clearer skies now and hopefully for the remainder of the evening. Hounds in desperate need of three points here to keep any hopes of advancing alive, and the same is true for Westchester. Do or die for the Jägermeister Cup tonight!

Starting XIs

Pre-Game Coverage

Preview / What’s at Stake

This will be the first-ever contest for the Hounds against a USL League One side, Westchester SC, in USL Jagermeister Cup.

This group stage will provide an opportunity for Bob Lilley’s club to stay sharp and earn points for the first time in the USL’s tournament.

Without a point in the competition, the Riverhounds’ chances of advancing in the competition are now extremely slim as they have two matches remaining in four-match group stage play.

While the Hounds and Westchester are both without a point in the competition, neither side is mathematically eliminated from the competition after each dropped their first two matches, but it would require two wins — and a fair share of favorable results elsewhere — to advance to the Cup’s knockout rounds.

But regardless of their odds to move on, the Hounds will want to maintain their momentum at home after winning their last two league matches at their home ground.

Lilley will want to keep all players in the current squad rotation sharp but also might use this match to utilize some players who have seen less playing times.

Coming off a 2-1 win in which they blitzed the Tampa Bay Rowdies early with two goals in the first 20 minutes, the Hounds will also try to take the game to a Westchester team that has only four wins on the season, two of which came against lower-league opposition in the U.S. Open Cup.

Westchester, a first-year club, is still getting its footing but has its share of talented players, led by top scorer and former Hounds forward J.C. Obregón (6 goals) and veteran playmaker Conor McGlynn (4 goals). Their team is coming off a 10-day layoff since their last match, but they have a little momentum of their own after claiming a 2-1 road win at Forward Madison behind goals by Obregón and another Championship veteran, Prince Saydee.

Lilley Doesn’t Think His Team or Any Team in USLC Can Afford Luxury of Dropping Intensity 

In this week’s Riverhounds Notebook, we dive deeper into Lilley’s mind and where his team stands at this point in the season.

Riverhounds Notebook: Bob Lilley doesn’t think his squad or any team in USL Championship has luxury to drop intensity of play